Éadaoin Hassett is a Soprano from Co. Kildare, currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. There, she studies with Prof Virginia Kerr and coaches Andrew Synnott, Dearbhla Collins and Brenda Hurley.
Éadaoin has performed the role of ‘La Baronessa’ in Haydn’s ‘La Vera Costanza’, ‘Maguelonne’ in Viardot’s ‘Cendrillon’ and most recently ‘Adele’ in scenes from Strauss’ ‘Die Fledermaus’ at the RIAM.
Professional engagements include various roles in a production of Purcell’s ‘The Fairy Queen’ with Sligo Baroque, the London Handel Players and Croatian Baroque Orchestra (August 2024) and Chorus in Irish National Opera’s production of Wagner’s ‘The Flying Dutchman’ (March 2025).
Éadaoin also enjoys song repertoire and has cultivated a strong duo partnership with pianist Oana – Alexandra Lelutiu. The pair have recently been awarded the RIAM Chamber Fest Prize (May 2025) and the Milne Cup at the Feis Ceoil, Dublin (June 2025).
Aimee Kearney is an Irish soprano from Dublin, currently based in Amsterdam. She studies at The Dutch National Opera Academy under the tutelage of Dutch soprano Hanneke de Wit. Aimee completed her bachelor’s degree at The RIAM, Dublin where she studied with Virginia Kerr. Aimee has performed leading and supporting roles in Ireland and abroad, including ‘Dominic the prince’ in Maconchy’s The Sofa, ‘Suor Genovieffa’ in Puccini’s Suor Angelica and ‘Sandmännchen’ in Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel. Last season, Aimee performed leading roles in Haydn’s La Fedeltá Premiata, Rossini’s La Cambiale di Matrimonio and Kurt Weill’s Die Sieben Todsünden.
Aimee is a frequent competition and bursary winner. Most notably, she is the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival Bursary Award winner for 2025. Next season is busy for Aimee, with leading roles in Pergolesi’s La Serva Padrona, in the Dutch premiere of Benjamin Wenzelberg’s opera NIGHTTOWN, and in Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen.
Born and raised in Galway, Ireland, Clare Quinn is a Lyric Soprano currently based in London.
A recent graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, she studies under Marie Vassiliou and Janet Haney and is a 2024/25 Young Artist with Accademia dell’Opera Italiana.
Her operatic experience to date includes Rosalinde (Die Fledermaus); Die Erste Dame (Die Zauberflöte); Ilia (Idomeneo) RAM Opera Scenes.
Clare has performed at Carnegie Hall and for the Irish President at Áras an Uachtaráin. Whilst at the RWCMD, Clare performed with the BBC National Chorus of Wales at the BBC Proms as a Choral scholar.
In 2024, she debuted at the National Concert Hall with a solo recital after winning the Bernadette Greevy Prize. Clare will join the Irish National Opera extra chorus for the 2025/26 season.
Jacq Herbots is an Irish tenor currently on the Professional Mentorship Course at the Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM). He holds a first-class honours degree in Vocal Performance from RIAM, where he studied with Owen Gilhooly-Miles, David Adams, Andrew Synnott, and Gráinne Dunne. His operatic roles include The Suitor (The Sofa), Armelinde (Cendrillon), and performances in Alcina (Caccini). In opera scenes, he has portrayed Ferrando (Così fan tutte), Eisenstein (Die Fledermaus), and Pedrillo (Die Entführung aus dem Serail).
In 2025, Jacq won the Joseph O’Mara Memorial Cup, the Veronica Dunne Operatic Ensemble Competition, the Marchant Cup, and the Tenor Solo at Feis Ceoil. He was a finalist in the Charles Wood International Song Competition and runner-up in the French Mélodie Pamela Waddington Muse Award at the David Clover Festival of Singing in Sheffield, UK. Previous highlights include winning the Milne Cup at Feis Ceoil 2024, top placements in the Derry Feis and the Maurice Ravel Paris Competition, and first prize in the WMVC Bursary in Wicklow.
He has participated in masterclasses with Jordi Savall, Robin Tritschler, Ann Murray, Brenda Hurley, and Paul McNamara. Passionate about storytelling through music, Jacq continues to refine his artistry and connect with audiences through expressive performance.
Orlaith Sharkey, a Donegal native, is a pianist and accompanist now based in Dublin. She is currently completing a Master’s in Music at MTU Cork School of Music, following a BMus in Pedagogy from TU Dublin Conservatoire and a professional mentorship at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. In 2024, she won the Larchet Memorial Cup for sight-reading accompaniment at Feis Ceoil and was one of the Festival’s official accompanists in 2025. Recent engagements include accompanying the Walter’s State Community College Chamber Choir on their Irish tour, and recitals with Rory Dunne (bass-baritone) and Maria Mulcahy (flute) as part of her Master’s. Orlaith has held piano internships at both the Charles Wood and Glenarm Festivals of Voice. She regularly works with choirs in Dublin and enjoys accompanying ballet classes and teaching piano. She is delighted to return as the 2025 Peter Rankin Piano Intern at the Glenarm Festival of Voice.
Orlaith will be the Peter Rankin Piano Intern for the 15th Glenarm Festival of Voice
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